Networked scanning systems including digital-processing apparatuses (e.g., digital copier and image scanning apparatus) connected to a network are publicly known. In such networked scanning systems, scan devices, included in the digitally-processing apparatuses, scan original document images and the scanned image data can be transmitted to terminal apparatuses (e.g., personal computer) connected to the network.
Existing systems use an extension box compatible to the architecture of a mainframe computer system. In such systems, an image input unit of an image forming apparatus scans an image. The scanned image data is stored in a hard disk unit (i.e., scan box) in the extension box. These systems are configured to share the image data with a plurality of terminal apparatuses (e.g., personal computers) connected to a network.
Scan parameters, such as resolution, grayscale, magnification, to be scanned face, image size, and area to be stored, are selected before scanning a document image. The scanned image data is transmitted to an image processing unit which processes the scanned image data with the selected scan parameters.
However, these systems do not carry out color coordinate conversion (i.e., from the R (red), G (green), and B (blue) system to the C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black) system), grayscale correction, or image data compression processes because these systems do not generate data for printout.
The processed image data is transmitted to the extension box. In the extension box, the image data is stored in the scan box allocated to a predetermined disk area in the hard disk unit.
After accumulating all of the image data for the original document image in the scan box, a client apparatus connected to the network retrieves the image data from the scan box.
However, these systems use one data format for copying data purposes and another format transmitting data.
Therefore, even when a same digital image processing apparatus is used for producing a printout, respective printouts made from the same image data may have different data formats.
Furthermore, a user pushes a copy button to copy a document, and pushes a scan button to scan an image to be transmitted later.
Therefore, the user needs to scan the same document twice when the user wants to copy and transmit the document. This is inconvenient for the user.
In addition, the system may employ a special format to store the image data in the hard disk unit, and a special data compression algorithm to economize the memory used.
Therefore, the user cannot review and edit such image data with publicly available applications when the user receives the image data at an external client apparatus.
Another system comprises a method for controlling multi-functions such as copying, scanning, printing, and faxing.
This system scans a document image, generates image data, prepares attribute data from the image data, and stores the image data and corresponding attribute data for each pixel in an image storing, unit.
When transmitting image data to an external client apparatus, the image data is converted to a predetermined data format.
This system does not store process mode information, selected by an operation unit, in the hard disk unit.
Therefore, when the image data, stored in the hard disk unit, is transmitted to an external client apparatus, the image data is converted to a data format independent of the process mode information selected by the operation unit.
Furthermore, this system requires that several attributes are managed in addition to image data. Therefore, this system leads to an increase in complexity.